Catalysts for hydrocarbon conversions



Patented Aug. 17, 1948 CATALYSTS FOR HYDROCARBO CONVERSIONS Kenneth K. Kearby, Crani'ord, N. J., assignor to Standard OilDevelopment Company, a corpora tion of Delaware No Drawing. Application October 24, 1947, Serial No. 782,029

.6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in catalysts, and more particularly, it relates to improvements in catalysts useful in reforming naphthas and/or aromatizing aliphatic hydrocarbons.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application SerialNo. 521,664, filed February 9, 1944 (now abandoned).

It is known that petroleum naphthas containing appreciable quantities of naphthenes can be subjected to a so-called reformin operation to yield a liquid product of improved octane number boiling in the gasoline range.

Depending on reaction conditions, catalytic reforming operations are generally referred to as either hydroforming or aromatization reactions. By hydroforming is ordinarily meant an operation conducted at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of a solid catalyst and added hydrogen, wherein a hydrocarbon fraction is increased in aromaticity and wherein there is no net consumption of hydrogen. The term aromatization refers to an operation in which a hydrocarbon fraction is treated at elevated temperatures, but at substantially atmospheric pressure, in the presence of a solid catalyst, for the purpose of increasing the aromaticity of the hydrocarbon fraction.

Catalytic reforming operations are usually carried out at temperatures of around 900-l000 F. in the presence of such catalysts as molybdenum oxide, chromium oxide, nickel sulfide, or tungsten sulfide, or any of a number of oxides or sulfides of metals of groups IV, V, VI, VII and VIII of the periodic system. These catalysts are usually supported on a base or spacing agent and the most commonly used base is alumina, either of the gel type or precipitated alumina. For example, a modified alumina, made by heat treating hydrated aluminum oxide, has been used as a support or extending agent for the active reforming catalysts mentioned above. Thus, a good catalyst for reforming or hydroforming is one containing about molybdenum oxide supported on an alumina base. However, alumina in its various forms is not heat-stable, particularly at regeneration temperatures which are of the order of 1000-1200 F. At temperatures in the neighborhood of 1100" F. or higher, alumina is definitely impaired by prolonged heating, and this impairment is reflected in the loss of activity of the catalyst composition of which the alumina is the support or spacing agent. Consequently, since the aromatization of a paraflln, such as, for can ample, normal heptane to form toluene, is an.op-. eration which requires high temperatures, the ordinary alumina base does not withstand the temperatures necessary for this particular conversion for a prolonged period of time.

I have found a method of treating alumina to increase its heat resistance so that it'may act more efiiciently as a support for high temperature catalystic processes, such as reforming and aromatizatiomand will have a high degree of; ac? tivity under the most severe temperature conditions for an extended period of time. In my invention the catalyst base or support is prepared by combinin aluminum oxide with zinc oxide, preferably in molecular proportions, thereby forming zinc aluminate. T h i s combination forms a true compound of the spinel type and is not merely a mechanical mixture, for I have examined the lattice spacing in accordance with the well known procedure of X-ray diffraction, and as a result of this examination, I shall show hereinafter that the combination is a true chemical compound.

I have found not only that zinc aluminate spinel is more heat stable than ordinary alumina but also that molybdenum oxide and chromium oxide are much more active catalysts when supported on zinc 'aluminate spinel than when supported on alumina.

While I have pointed out that my catalysts are particularly suitable for use in the aromatization of aliphatic hydrocarbons at high temperatures, I also wish to point out that the researches that I have conducted clearly indicate that my improved catalysts are superior to those formerly used in reforming or hydroforming operations.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a heat-stable base or spacing agent for active reforming and aromatizing catalysts. Another object of my invention is to provide a more active dehydrogenation catalyst especially, for aromatizing or hydroformin naphthas, particularly from the standpoint of ields of aromatics in. the reformed product.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for synthesizing a heat stable base or spacing agent for active oxide catalysts. A more speciilc object of my invention is to modify alumina chemically so as to render it more heat-stable and capable of being used at high temperatures as a supporting base for molybdenum oxide and chromium oxide catalysts.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following more detailed description and claims. Briefly,-my new catalyst composition comprises a major proportion of a zinc aluminate spinel to which has been added a minor proportion of molybdenum oxide and/or chromium oxide. More specifically my catalyst composition comprises i'rom about 70% to about 95% zinc aluminate spinel and from about to about 30% of chromium oxide or of molybdenum oxide or of mixtures of these oxides. Compositions containing from to of molybdenum Exams: 1

serum .4.-974 g. of c. P. zinc nitrate, Zn(NO:):.6Hz0, was dissolved in a solution of 179 cc. concentrated nitric acid in 2 liters of distilled water and made up to a volume of 3290 cc. Solution B.80 g. pure NaOl-I was dissolved in 4 liters of distilled water. 800 g. of sodium aluminate was stirred in rapidly. After stirring for two minutes, 500 cc. of a diatomaceous earth nlter aid was added. Stirring was continued for one-half minute and the suspensionwas filtered on a Bilchner funnel. 3290 cc. of the filtrate was used for solution B. The resulting solution had a concentration of 101 g. A120: and 87 g. NazO per liter. On this basis, the acidity of the zinc nitrate (solution A) was adjusted to exactly neutralize the alkali of the alumina solution. 7

Solutions A and B were added at equal rates over a period of minutes to 10 liters of dis- .tilled water while stirring. Stirring was continued for 15 minutes after all of A and B had been added and the precipitate filtered. The precipitate was washed with 6 liters 1120, restirred in 12 liters of water, filtered and washed with 6 liters 11:0. The precipitate was dried and calcined 3 hours at 1000 F.

The aim: aluminate was mixed for 3 hours in the ball mill with a solution of 81.8 g. of C. P. ammonium molybdate dissolved in a mixture of 44 cc. concentrated ammonium hydroxide in 440 cc. H2O. (Additional water was added, sufficient to form a thick paste before mixing.) The mixture was dried, pllled and calcined for 3 hours at 1000 I".

linux12 Another catalyst was prepared as above except that the washed zinc aluminate precipitate was 4 ide in 1 liter of water. The precipitate was filtered, washed with 3 liters .of distilled water and mixed with 4 liters of distilled water. The filtrate was not clear and was used to resuspend and mix the zinc hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide precipitates. The mixture was filtered and washed on the filter with 3 liters of water. It was mixed for 3 hours in the ball mill, dried and calcined for 3 hours at 1000 F. 1

The produce was impregnated with ammonium molybdate (40.9 g.) and finished as in Example 1.

The catalyst supports prepared according to the foregoing procedures are true compounds having the formula ZnQAhOa. I have established this by comparison of the X-ray diffraction pattern of my catalyst base with published patterns for zinc aluminate. The comparison is 4 tabulated below:

not dried and calcined before mixing with the ammonium molybdate solution.

Exmu 3 Lattice spacings in anastrom units Standard Literature 4 Values- Measured on my Catalyst Base 0 amma ZlIAlgOg ZnO A110 2. 2. 39 2. 44 2. 276 2.02 1 1.975 I l. 91 l. 862 l. 65 1.62 l. 55 i l. 396 l 1.48 1.139 1. 43 .961 Blank 882 1. 232 9J6 1 Weak lines.

4 Major lines for alumina.

See Ind. and Eng. Chem. Anal. Ed., 10, 510, 511 (1038); and Gamma Ano, from card ills of Amer. Soc. for Testing Materials, W. P. Davey, Chairman, Penn., State College.

It will be noted that the catalyst support which I prepared as set forth in the left-hand column compares very favorably with the literature data given for the compound ZnAlzOs. In columns 3 and 4 I have set forth, respectively, the data given in the literature for zinc oxide and aluminum oxide, and it is clear from these data that my new catalyst support is not a mere mechanical mixture of these two substances, since such a mixture would give superposed patterns of ZnO and A1203. For example, in the aluminum oxide column there are no lines whatever corresponding to the 2.86 or 2.45 Angstrom spacings of my Exams: 4

To test my new catalysts I made three runs to aromatize normal heptane. These runs were all conducted at 1000 F., at a feed rate of 1.2 volumes of normal heptane per volume of catalyst per hour, at about atmospheric pressure. In run A I used parts of my improved base, that is, zinc aluminate spinel. and 10 parts by weight of M003; in run "B" I used chromium oxide on alumina, the amount of CrzO: being 11% by weight of the mixture; and in run "C" I used a catalyst consisting of about 10% by weight of molybdenum oxide on alumina. I set forth below the results of these runs:

Run

A a o my ZllAhO 1i CrO 107M001 11 100. lumina on Alumina on Liquitd Recovery, Vol. peroen 70 71 79 Aromaticity, Vol. rcent... 57 48 30 Total Aromatic Y eld, Vol.

permnt 40 34 24 Exauru 5 When testing the suitability of my catalyst in aromatization of a naphtha feed, I found'that the catalyst was superior to the known reforming catalysts described above. Thus. using a naphthenic feed stock, I made five runs using I The feed had the following inspection: gravity A. P. I. 55.7; percent S, 0.0058; Br. No.=0; Reid vapor pressure-1.2 lbs/sq. in.; vol. percent aromatics=ll.2; vol. percent methyl cyclohexane and ethyl cyciopentane=26.2; vol. percent naphthencs==47.3; vol. percent parailius=4l.5; boiling 'range=2(l0270 F. my improved catalysts in three and alumina-supported catalysts in two, operating in all live runs at a feed rate of 1.2 volumes of liquid feed per volume of catalyst per hour, at a temperature of 1000 F. and atmospheric pressure (one hour period). I obtained the .following results:

Influence of feed rate and temperature on the dramatization o/ naphtha over zinc alumimite-molybdenum otldc catalyst V./V.lHr.

Temperature, F 950 900 950 1000 950 1000 C cie Length Hrs 3 3 3 3 l l L quid Recovery, Vol. percent 69 84 77 68 84 77 Aromaticit Vol. percent 95 61 74 85 63 ll Aromatic ield, Vol. percent 06 61 57 57 45 55 Coke, Wt. percent on Feed 7. 2 4.3 6. 8 l0. 9 4. 6 6. 6

Feed contains. 11% aromatics; naphtha same as described in Exam ie 5. 1 Vofume oi liquid iced per volume oi catalyst per hour. v 1 Includes aromatics present in iced.

Other runs were conducted to test the value of my catalyst in hydroforming. In these runs an East Texas naphthenic naphtha (described in Example 5) was treated under conditions set forth below, in one case using my catalyst and in the other run using a conventional hydroforming catalyst consisting of alumina supporting molybdenum oxide, the latter being one o! the best hydroi'orming catalysts heretofore developed. It will be observed in the data presented below that the use of the zinc alumlnate molybdenum oxide catalyst gave superior results, for it will be noted that the aromaticity, the gross yield, and the conversions were much higher in the case of the zinc spine] supported catalyst than in the case of the conventional hydroforming catalyst. These data,

' Catalyst, Parts by Wt.

. Liquid Recovery, Vol. percent 77 80. 6 81 86 75. 5 Aromaticity. Vol. ercent 71 60.2 51 42 77.2 Total Aromatic Yleld, Vol. percent.-. 55 48. 5 41 36 58.3 Coke. Wt. percent as 4.5 4.6 4.6 as

It will be noted that here, also. there is a distogether with operating conditions, are set forth tinct improvement in the aromaticity of the below: product which is a highly desired result in reforming naphthas becau e the aromatics 1 [4-hour periods; 1.27 v./v./hr.ieed rate: 1000 C. F./B of Hg 200lbs.

per sq. in. press] prove the octane rating of the gasoline. Hence the gasoline produced by my new catalyst would Catalyst be superior to that obtained by the conventional process using a conventional catalyst. 90% zno 90% M10 10% M00; 10% M00: Exammr: 6

Temperature, "F 965 956 In other runs I have found that by decreasing the naphtha from 1.2 volumes to 0.45 volume of Eg'gftfiflgg-Jf};fffffffi 1 3;? naphtha per volume of catalyst per hour, but oth- Coke. Wt P r n 0. 21 0.2 erwise operating under the same conditions, 6$32i ,vli?i=:f1:::::::: 2 namely, a temperature of 1000 F. and atmosgross t g 42 pheric pressure, I increased the aromaticity of m 65 44 the product from 71 to By lowering the cummetper ham} p u e to 950 F. even better results were Fraetion oi non-aromatic portion of feed which reacts. obtained at lower feed rates, namely, at 0.25 volume of liquid naphtha per volume of catalyst per 7 Emma: 8 hour. At a feed rate of 0.25 volume of naphtha per volume of catalyst per hour a 69% liquid yield The effect of pressure in hydroforming is shown having an aromaticity of was obtained. by the following data. In each case the feed was This represents a gross aromatic yield of 66 vola 200"-270 F. naphtha. of the type used in Exume per cent on feed. 75

ample 5 and the catalyst was 10% molybdenum oxide supported on 90%. zinc aluminate. Duration of each run was one hour. It will be seen that in general coke formation is reduced as the pressure .is increased and aromatic yields are improved as the pressure is reduced.

E'flect of pressure in hudroformina using zinc aluminate-molybdenum oxide catalyst The following runs show that when aromatizing naphtha at atmospheric pressure dilution of the feed with hydrogen has a marked eflect in reducing coke formation and also results in a slightly higher yield of aromatics at a given liquid recovery. Thus, at 950 F., 0.25 v./v./hr., dilution of the vaporized feed with two volumes of hydrogen (2 volumes hydrogen S. T. P. per calculated volume S. T. P. of feed) decreases coke formation from 7.2% to 3.7 and results in an increase in liquid recovery from 69% to 72% at about 95% aromaticity. A further reduction in coke formation to 2.5 wt. per cent on feed is obtained by increasing the'hydrogen dilution ratio to 4/1. A similar trend is observed at 1000 F., 1.2 v./v./hr.

These data are summarized in the following table:

Influence of hydrogen dilution on the dramatization of naphtha 1 over (90%) zinc aluminate-(10%) molybdenum oxide catalyst Temperature, F.- 950 950 950 1000 1000 1000 Feed Rate, v./v./Hr .-0. 25- 1. 2 H, Dilution Ratio... 2/1 4/1 0 2/1 4/1 Liquid Recovery, Vol. Per eent.... 69 72 72 76 S2 76 Aromaticity, Vol. Per cent 95 04 95 69 62 65 AromaticYield (Gross)Vol.Percont. 66

Exurrm:

Further runs were made to test the suitability of my catalyst compositions in reforming naphtha at various temperatures and feed rates and these data are summarized below:

8 washed therefrom with water. The presence of sulfate in the zinc aluminate spinel is undesi able. For example, I have found that when the zinc aluminate spinel base contained 6.1 per cent S04 by weight and was employed to aromatize normal heptane under conventional testing conditions, 44 per cent aromatics, based on feed, was formed. On the other hand, when the same base, tested under identical conditions in aromatizing normal heptane, contained 12 per cent by weight S04, the yield of aromatics was only 31 per centbased on feed. While it is possible to reduce this sulfate content by washing with alkaline solutions or by treating thecatalyst at elevated temperatures with hydrogen and steam, these procedures are less preferable than using direct methods of preparing catalysts having a low content of sulfate.

The methods outlined below for the preparation of zinc aluminate from zinc sulfate can also be applied to the preparation of this material from zinc chloride, since here also the problem of reducing the occlusion of anions without favoring the occlusion of sodium is encountered. Two methods of preparing the zinc aluminate spine] from zinc sulfate are as follows:

EXAMPLE 11 1416 g. of C. P. zinc sulfate and 105 cc. of concentrated sulfuric acid were dissolved in water to make 5049 cc. of solution A. 1200 g. of sodium aluminate was stirred for 10 minutes in 6000 cc. of water. One liter of filter aid was added and the solution was filtered. 5049 cc. of filtrate was taken as solution B. Five liters of water was stirred vigorously in a 5-gallon crock while solutions A and B were added simultaneously and at the same rate over a 30-minute period. More water was added during the precipitation to facilitate stirring. After the final slurry had been stirred 10 minutes the pH of the supernatant liquid was found to be 10.

The slurry was filtered and the cake was washed with 18 liters of distilled water. It was restirred with distilled water and divided into thirds. Two thirds was set aside for other tests. The other third was slurried in 6 liters of distilled water, filtered and washed with 6 liters of distilled water. The cake was reslurried in 6 liters of distilled water, filtered and washed with 8 liters of distilled water. The cake was made into a thick Catalytic dramatization of naphtha 1 over 90% zinc aluminate-10 molybdenum oxide catalyst AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE Temperature, F 900 900 950 950 950 950 950 950 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 Feed Rate, V-IV- HL- 0. 48 0. 45 l. 2 0. 45 0. 25 0.26 0.25 0.25 0. 48 1. 2 1. 2 l. 2 l. 2 l. 2 Cycle Length. Hrs 3 3 l 3 3 G 3 8 3 l 1 1 1 1 H; Dilution Ratio 0 2- 1 0 0 2.0 0 0 4. 2 0 0 0 0 1. 8 4. 2 Liquid Recovery, V01. percent- .4 81.5 84. 3 77.3 82.0 73. 2 (1 8 72.4 67. 7 76. 0 77. 5 80.3 82.3 76.3 Aromnticlty. Vol. percent..- 61 61 74 73 93 95 95 85 ()9 61 GS 62 65 Aromatic Yield. Vol. percent 51 49 45 57 60 08 (v6 69 57 52 47 55 51 40 Coke, Wt. percent on Feed 4. 3 2. 0 4.6 5.8 3. 3 5. 9 7. 2 2. 5 10.9 5. 3 7. 2 6. 7 2. 4 2. 2 Ga, Wt. percent on Feed... 6. 8 9. 8 6. 0 .10. (l 7. 0 11. 4 4. 0 15. 0 13. 3 l2. 5 8. 9 7.8 9. 6 13.2 Catalyst Age, Cycles 0 11 0 7 l0 3 l 3 2 0 4 8 5 4 Run No 176 179 170 176 179 18 i 188 188 184 184 164 176 lot 138 l Nsphtha same as used in Example 5.

I A cycle is a period on-stream and a period of regeneration with a mixture of air and inert gas (usually 2 hours).

In the foregoing examples the zinc aluminate base was prepared using zinc nitrate as starting material. It is also possible to prepare zinc aluminate from zinc sulfate as starting material but in this case certain precautions must be observed. One of the problems is that when the zinc aluminate is precipitated from a solution of zinc sulfate and a soluble aluminum compound, S04 radical is occluded in the precipitate and cannot be a catalyst and gave the following results:

Catalytic aromatization [100) F.; 1.2 v./v.lhr.; l hr..periods: 1 atm. pressure] In this example the ZnO.AlzO3 was prepared on the basis of giving 25 pounds of finished catalyst. The amount of sodium aluminate solution required when made by the standard procedure described below was calculated to be 57.3 liters. From the alumina and sodium hydroxide content of this solution the required amounts of zinc sulfate and sulfuric acid were calculated.

Thirty-five and thirty .one-hundredths pounds of technical zinc sulfate and 986 cc. of concentrated sulfuric acid were dissolved in water to give 57.3 liters of solution A. Thirteen kilograms of sodium aluminate was stirred for 15 minutes in 65 liters of water. About 6 liters of filter aid was stirred in and the mixture was filtered with a filter crock. Fifty-seven'and three tenths liters of the filtrate was taken as solution B.

Twelve liters of water was poured into a 50- gallon barrel and stirred vigorously while solutions A and B were added simultaneously and at the same rate from calibrated bottles during a period of one hour. v

The pH of the liquid portion of the slurry was found to be 12. Portions of sulfuric acid diluted 20 to 1 were added with stirring until the pH was reduced to 7.5. (Three hundred and fifty cc. of concentrated sulfuric acid diluted with 7 liters of water was added in all.)

The slurry was then pumped into a filter press containing ten plates, 1" by 18" by 18". At a pressure of 65 pounds per square inch only about seven-eighths of the slurry could be pumped into the press. The material in the press was washed with 60 gallons of water per hour for 3 hours. It was then air blown for 30 minutes and dumped. The cake was resuspended in water in a 50 gallon barrel and left overnight. ing the slurry was again pumped into the tenplate press. This time the press was not filled, indicating shrinkage of the precipitate. The press was washed with water at the rate of 150 gallons per hour for 3 hours. It was then air blown for half an hour and dumped.

The cake was worked into a very thick paste by means of large propeller-type stirrers. The water added in this step was. kept to a minimum. A solution of 1220 g. of C. P. ammonium molybdate dissolved in 9 liters of water was then stirred into the paste to form a thick slurry which was allowed to stand overnight. The slurry was then dried in an oven with air circulation at 240 to 400 F. The wet material was stirred occasionally to insure uniformity. The dried product was calcined 3 hours in an electric muffle at, 1200 F. and then pilled.

No'rn.The pHs given above were determined with a commercially available testing paper. Checks with a glass electrode pH meter have indicated that the paper values of 12 to 13 correspond to glass electrode values of approximately 10.5 to 12 and a paper value of 7.5 gives an electrode value of 8.5.

The next morn- When tested as a catalyst, the following results 7 were obtained: Catalytic aromatization [i000 F.; 1.2 v./v./hr.; 1 hr. periods: 1 atm. pressure] a; Per Cent Vol. Per com Selectivity Cent Net Gas Coke version to Aromatics Aromatics n-Heptane Feed 77 56 14. 0 5. ZOO-270 F. East Texas N aphthe Feed 78 54 9. 3 7. 5

In the preceding examples care was taken to maintain the pH of the solution from which the precipitate was formed at about 9 to 12. At the end of the precipitation the pH was adjusted to a value of within the range of from '7 to.8. By thus proceeding, namely, by limiting the pH during the precipitation within the range of from 9 to 12, the quantity of sulfate radical occluded in the precipitate is restricted to an amount not exceeding 5 per cent by weight. At the same time, by adjusting the final pH of the filtrateto a value between 7 and 8, the sodium was desorbed in the final precipitate so that it did not exceed about one-tenth of 1 per cent and thus was assured the production of catalysts of reproducible activity.

In the two preceding examples are disclosed methods of forming the zinc aluminate spinel base in which I mixed two solutions, zinc sulfate containing sulfuric acid and sodium aluminate containing sodium hydroxide. Instead of so proceeding, I may mix a solution containing zinc sulfate and aluminum sulfate with an alkali such as sodium hydroxide. It will be understood, however, that in these modifications the same precautions must be observed as regards the pH of the supernatant liquid in the precipitating medium, including the final adjustment thereof.

Instead of using a commercial sodium aluminate, I may use an aluminum oxide, such as Al2O3.3HaO dissolved in an alkaline solution.

In any of the methods of preparing zinc aluminate, whether from zinc sulfate, nitrate or other salt, it is to be understood that I may use sodium carbonate in place of sodium hydroxide as precipitating agent. Also by conducting the precipitation at 60-100 C. rather than at room temperature catalyst bases of lower density and increased pore size may be prepared.

As previously indicated, the zinc aluminate composition prepared from the zinc sulfate is more heat stable than the zinc aluminate composition prepared from zinc nitrate as is shown by the following data:

This is important because in preparing the catalyst the material is calcined ordinarily in a kiln and the more heat stable catalyst does not rel1 quire the critical control that the less heat stabl catalyst requires; and, furthermore, in the regeneration of the catalyst after use in, say,'hydroformingor aromatizing operations, the more heat stable catalyst is less liable to injury during regeneration, an operation usually performed by burning off the contaminants formed on the cat- 'alyst during use in the on-stream operation.

Another advantage of the. catalyst prepared from the zinc sulfate is that of increased activity as set below in the following data:

Catalytic dramatization [1000 F.; 1.2 v./v./hr.; 1 hr. period] n-Heptane Feed Run ll Run #2 Vol. Percent Conversion. 90 00. i Vol. Percent Belectlvity... b6 56 Vol. Percent Net Aromatics" 61 51 Wt. Percent Gas l8. 9 18. 9 j Wt. lercent Coke 6. 4 5.1

East Texas Naphtha Feed Run #3 Run #4 Vol. Percent Conversion 88 91 Vol. Percent Selectivity 55 55 Vol. Percent Net Aromatics 48 50 Wt. Percent Gas 13.0 12.2 Wt. Percent Coke 7. 7. 8

These results are higher than ever obtained from the same type of catalysts tested under similar conditions but in which the catalyst base was zinc aluminate that had been prepared from zinc nitrate.

In the runs set forth in the two preceding tables, the pressure in the reaction zone was approximately 1 atmosphere and no added hydrogen was present in the reaction zone.

Instead of coprecipitating the zinc and the alumina, I may separately precipitate zinc hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide from any suitable source and thereafter mix the precipitates in suitable proportions to form the zinc aluminate. The mixture is then dried and finally calcined at above 800 F. and preferably at above 1000 F. Addition of molybdenum oxide and/or chromium oxide may be successfully accomplished either before or after the drying process. For example, molybdenum oxide may be comecipitated from a solution of an alkaline molybdate either at the same time the zinc aluminate is precipitated or at some later point in the preparation of the zinc aluminate.

Alternative methods of preparing zinc aluminate include: reaction of sodium zineate or of ammonium zineate with aluminum sulfate or nitrate; admixture of sodium aluminate and sodium or ammonium zineate and coprecipitation with sulfuric or nitric acid; and precipitation of admixed sodium aluminate and sodium or ammonium zincate with zinc and aluminum sulfates or nitrates. Still another method is to convert zinc and aluminum chlorides into zinc and aluminum oxide gels by reaction with ethylene oxide. Also, zinc and aluminum or their alloys may be converted to sols by action of dilute formic or acetic acid in the presence of mercury salts.

When using any of the methods given herein for the preparation of zinc aluminate it may b found advantageous *to'modify the gelatinous nature of the productby conducting the preparation in the presence of 1 to 10% (based on the dry catalyst) of an acetate, tartrate or citrate. e. g., ammonium acetate, or of 0.5% to of a silicic acid sci or of glycerol, starch, vegetable gums, and the like.

To review briefly, I have found that when alumina is modified by reacting it with a zinc 1 base makes it possible to obtain good. yields of aromatics by aromatization of paramns and it also improves the hydroforming process, since it results in the formation of increased quantities of aromatics in the product which is a highly desirable result since these aromatics increase the octane rating of the said product. I have tried a number ofother heavy m'etal divalent oxides as substitutes for zinc oxide without securingany definite improvement in the alumina base.

This is illustrated in the table presented below.

These data were obtained in aromatization tests conducted by the method employed in Example 4. All these tests were run at 1000 F. using a feed rate of 1.2 volumes of normal heptane per volume of catalyst per hour at about atmospheric pressure. The catalyst in each case consisted of 10% molybdenum oxide supported on the catalyst base indicated.

It will be seen that whereas zinc aluminate spinel was much better than alumina as a catalyst support all of the other metal aluminates were no better than or inferior to alumina.

Although I may use from 5 to 30% of molybdenum oxide or of chromium oxide or of mixtures of these-oxides in my catalyst compositions, I have found that from about 10% to about 20% of these oxides is particularly desirable. The effect of varying the molybdenum oxide content of my zinc aluminate-molybdenum oxide catalyst composition is shown in the following table of data obtained under aromatization conditions, that is, at atmospheric pressure and with no added hydrogen.

Efl'ect of M00: content on catalyst activity [1000 F., 1.2 v./v./hr. feed rate, 1 hr. periods] Percent ZnAl|0 Kl 70 Percent M00| 0 5 10 so It n-Heptane Vol. percent Net Aromatics. 18 30 40 47 37 Wt. percent Gas 13 13. 4 l6. 2 l7. 1 l4. 7 Wt. percent Coke 4. 6 4. 1 5. l 4 7. i

$0470 F. Nsphths Vol. percent Net Aromatics ii 34 44 40 35 Wt. percent Gas 0. 8 7. 8 9. 2 9. 8 8. 0 Wt. percent Coke 5. 1 4. 2 ii. 0 7 7 1. I

It is to be understood that my new catalysts may be used in a number of reactions other than those disclosed specifically above. For instance, they may be used in the dehydrogenation of paramns to oleflns or of olefins to diolefins, desulfurization of sour petroleum oils, oxidations, destructive hydrogenation of petroleum oil, coal tar oil, coal, etc.

Although it is preferable that my catalyst base be prepared by combining aluminum oxide and zinc oxide in molecular proportions, slight excesses. of either component are not harmful. Thus I may use an excess of either reactant in making the zinc spinel or I may admix a slight excess of either ZnO or A120: with the zinc spinel. Furthermore, I have found that addition of small percentages of promoters is sometimes beneficial, for example, 0.1 to 0.5% of Ni or Pt. Addition of 0.5 to 5% of calcium oxide to my catalyst compositions may be made when it is desired to improve the resistance of molybdenum oxide to oxidation and reduction.

My catalyst may be formed into pills, pellets, or other shaped bodies either before or after the calcination and with or withou the use of pilling aids, such as graphite, starch, solid hydrogenated vegetable fat, etc. The pellets and other shaped bodies may also be formed by extrusion methods. One good method of forming the catalysts into desired shapes is to dry the precipitate in a high humidity atmosphere. For example, a one-inch filter cake can in this way be dried into granules, 90 per cent of which will have a particle size of 2 to 8 mesh. This method of forming the catalyst into desired shapes is important for the reason that it is much less expensive than when the catalyst is formed into pills using pilling machinery.

Of course, in the case where the catalyst is,to be used in what is known as a fluid" catalyst system, it may be ground either before or after calcination to a size range smaller than 500 microns, preferably within the range of to 200 microns. The dried or calcined material from this grinding operation which is too fine to use may be mixed with wet catalyst in order to agglomerate it into a usable coarse size range.

It will be understood that my catalyst, after use in aromatization operations or during hydroforming, and having become contaminated with carbonaceous deposits, may be regenerated by burning on the carbonaceous deposits by treatment with an oxygen-containing gas. This regeneration may be accomplished in a normal manner, conventiona1 in the art except that my catalysts are more heat stable than the ordinary hydroforming catalysts such as those oxides which are supported on an alumina base.

Numerous modifications of my invention falling within the scope thereof may be made by those familiar with this art,

What is claimed is:

1. A catalyst composition consisting of at least of zinc aluminate spinel supporting at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of molybdenum oxide and chromium oxide.

2. A catalyst composition comprising from about 70% to about 95% zinc aluminatespinel and from about 5% to about 30% of molybdenum oxide.

3. A catalyst composition consisting of from about to about 90% of zinc aluminate and from about 10% to about 20% of molybdenum oxide.

4. A catalyst composition consisting of about 90% zinc aluminate and about 10% chromium oxide. Y

5. A catalyst composition consisting of about 90% zinc aluminate and about 10% molybdenum oxide.

6. A catalyst composition consisting of about zinc aluminate, about 10% molybdenum oxide and about 5% chromium oxide.

KENNETH K. KEARBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 49 Number Name Date 2,261,159 Huppke Nov. 4, 1941 2,265,641 Grosskinsky et a1. Dec. 9, 1941 2,279,198 Huppke Apr. 7, 1942 2,344,330 Sturgeon Mar. 14, 1944 15 2,371,087 Webb et al Mar. 6, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES I Melior: Comprehensive Treatise on Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, Longmans, Green 8; Co., 1924, vol. 5, pages 296-297, 

